Conflicts Between Energy Policy Objectives and the National Climate Change Strategy in Ireland

Synthesis Report for the ERTDI-funded project: 2001-EEP-MS1-M2

The thesis underpinning this research project is that it will not be possible to deliver on the National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) unless the conflicts between energy policy objectives and the NCCS measures are resolved.The project investigated separately the issues associated with, and measures arising from, the three pillars of energy policy, namely cost competitiveness, security of supply and environmental responsibility.

The project assessed the interactions, conflicts, potential conflicts, complementarities and resulting impacts of these on the NCCS measures targeting the electricity sector. The project focused on two NCCS measures in particular, namely:

The closure of the Moneypoint coal-fired power plant in 2008, displacing it with gas-fired power generation, to achieve a target of 3.4 Mt CO2 emissions reduction, and

The achievement of an additional 500 MW of renewable energy power generation between 2000 and 2005, to achieve a target of 1 Mt CO2 emissions reduction, with significant further targets for the period 2005–2010.

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